Road improvements are on the way in Washington

    The Washington City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance to eliminate stop signs on East Third Street at the four-way stop at the intersection with North Seventh Avenue. The ordinance must be approved twice more before it becomes law.

    Councilor Merle Hagie said the stop signs for East Third Street were ?irrelevant? because the traffic on North Seventh also stops. Washington Police Chief Greg Goodman said he didn?t think that intersection was any more problematic than other intersections in town.

    Councilor Bob Shepherd said he was not worried that automobiles would drive at reckless speeds on the road if the stop signs were removed.

    ?I think their speed is already reduced because of where the tracks used to be,? said Shepherd.

     City Engineer Rob McDonald spoke on the road-paving project that is scheduled to begin in a few weeks. In March, the council approved a resolution to enter into an agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation to fix and repave portions of Fifth Street from Marion to South Iowa, East Polk Street and South Ninth Avenue.

    McDonald said work on South Ninth Avenue from Washington Street to Polk Street will consume the bulk of the project?s time and money. He said the project would cost about $1.1 million, and that the contractors would have 100 working days to finish it.

    City Administrator Dave Plyman said 80 percent of the paving and repairs will be funded by the federal government. Plyman said the city will contact homeowners who live on these streets to inform them of the coming roadwork.

    ?Our intention is to arrange at least one meeting with people who will be affected by this project, so we can discuss the particulars of the project,? said Plyman. ?We really can?t do that until the project is awarded to the contractor.?

    After meeting in closed session, the council voted to amend its settlement agreement with Bernard and Judith Bartholow, from whom the city purchased 126 acres near the sewer plant for $1.5 million. The city wanted the land to build a new sewer plant, to build a connecting road between Highway 1 and Buchanan Street, and to expand Elm Grove Cemetery.

    In the new version approved by council, the city agreed to allow the Bartholows? tenant John Berdo to continue using one of the barns on the property for hogs through Dec. 15, on the condition that Berdo powerwashes the building. Plyman said Berdo asked for the accommodation because he has 400 hogs in the building and needed more time to find a new home for them. 

For more, see our Sept. 2 print edition.